


Family Ties

by Slothquisitor



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 02:30:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6734302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slothquisitor/pseuds/Slothquisitor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A prompt for the follower celebration from @knight-enchanted who requested the canon-verse and Cullen’s reunion with his family. After the Exalted Council Cullen and Mara arrive to South Reach. Gets the tiniest bit smutty at the end (keep expectations low).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Ties

The weather had been blessedly mild their entire journey from Skyhold to South Reach. It hadn’t rained and the roads had been good. Cullen thanked the maker for small mercies. 

Mara still struggled along, cursing the loss of her arm. The time at Skyhold after the Exalted Council had been good for her, gave her a routine to get back to rather than an abrupt change of everything in their lives. He found her up in the night less and less clutching at the arm she no longer had and fighting phantom pains.

The decision to come to South Reach was an easy one. Neither of them had anywhere else to go, so it made the most sense. They were together, it hardly mattered to either where they went. His family was there and so after they had tied up all of the loose ends for the Inquisition they had packed up their few belongings and began the journey. 

He’d never been to South Reach before, but he could tell they were getting close. Houses cropped up on either side of the road and civilization loomed. Mara was fidgety on her horse and he knew that meant she was nervous. He urged his mare come up right beside her. 

“Everything alright?”  he asked. He had been asking that question a lot lately. 

Mara sighed, “I’m fine. Just nervous.”

“Why?” he asked. 

“To meet your family,” Mara gave him an exasperated look, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Cullen laughed, “So you’ll face down dragons, evil Tevinter Magisters, and an old elven god without so much as a thought, but the prospect of meeting my family makes you nervous?”

She rolled her eyes, “What if they don’t like me?”

“They’ll love you,” Cullen reassured her. If Mia’s excitement was anything to go by, they were all very excited to meet Mara at last. He gave Mara another reassuring smile before dropping back to clear the road for a horse and cart that was coming the opposite direction.  

Neither of them had very many things. Living in Templar barracks had necessitated not having much that was truly yours in the world, and for Mara, travelling with her clan meant keeping only what was absolutely needed. They didn’t know how to hold onto things, Josephine had helped with that, insisting on items they take. Mara had resisted, but even on her best day she had a hard time resisting Josie. Most of the boxes in the cart were filled with books. He smiled a little at that. 

They rode on through the small town and past it where fields of wheat rippled in the breeze. They came to a small rambler of a farmhouse that fit Mia’s description and directions. 

“I believe this is it,” Cullen said coaxing his horse to a stop before dismounting. 

Mara didn’t wait for his help as she slid rather ungracefully off her horse. He caught her around the waist before she completely lost her balance. She righted herself quickly with his help and swatted him away. He ignored her, pulled her a little closer instead and kissed her hair. 

“Are you ready for this?” he whispered against her ear.

Before she could respond, he heard the yells of his family. He released her and turned. 

“Cullen!” the voices called. Even though he hadn’t seen them in years he knew them immediately. Mia nearly plowed him over and pulled him into a hug, Rosalie followed soon after. Just when he believed nothing could make him happier here his family was. He wasn’t sure of much except he was laughing and crying at the same time. 

Branson stood a little ways off, holding a little dark-haired boy that Cullen could only assume was his son Henry. After Mia and Rosalie pulled away wiping their eyes, Branson came over slowly and gave him a stiff hug without saying much. 

Mia looked between the two and he could have sworn she glowered at Branson. “Introductions!” she said brightly. 

Cullen turned back to Mara, whose green eyes were glistening when they met his. Cullen took her hand, “This is my wife, Mara,” he smiled. Maker, he’d never get tired of introducing her like that. 

Mia wound her arm through the man that had to be her husband, “This is Matthew, my husband and our kids, Clara and Liam.” Clara and Liam smiled shyly. 

“And this is Henry,” Branson said ruffling Henry’s hair. 

“Hi Uncle Cul!” the boy said excitedly and Cullen smiled in response. Was this even real? 

Mia tentatively addressed Mara, “It’s so nice to finally meet you, your worship.”

Mara’s face fell at the formality in Mia’s tone, but she recovered quickly, had dealt with too many dignitaries and nobles not to. 

“I think just Mara will do. We are family after all,” Mara said kindly. Only Cullen could see the sadness in her eyes, the distance his sister had unknowingly put between them. Mara had never been one for titles, even as they were heaped upon her she insisted that she was just Mara. It was something he loved about her. 

Rosalie nodded, “Of course, whatever you prefer.” Cullen noted the formality that colored her words as well. He hoped it would pass with time. 

“We’ve got a big meal for you. Matthew and Bran will take care of the horses and bring your things in. You come on inside,” Mia ushered them towards the house. 

Cullen kept a firm hold of Mara’s hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze as they followed his sister inside. 

***

The evening was a merry - if not a little awkward- one. Mia had cooked a meal fit for royalty and Mara noticed Cullen kept glancing around at them all in utter disbelief. He looked as if he had woken up in some perfect dream and every time he met her eyes he seemed to be saying, “Look! Look at this! I have a family!”

His hand sat warm and sure upon her right knee under the table. As if he was afraid if he let go of her she might disappear. Cullen had been his own level of nervous throughout their journey here, excited, but nervous. He hadn’t spoken of it, but she knew there was some relief in how warmly they’d been welcomed. Well...except for Branson. 

Branson kept a careful distance, watching Cullen carefully over the course of the evening. He was quiet and Mara knew that couldn’t be normal by the way Mia kept shooting him exasperated looks when she thought no one was watching. He’d barely spoken to anyone, but Mara recognized anger when she saw it. 

“So are you thinking you might stay here in South Reach long term?” Mia asked as dinner wound down. 

Cullen looked to her, as if asking permission. They’d talked about their plans and his desire to be near his family. South Reach, the moon she didn’t care as long as she was with him. She smiled in reply and Cullen responded, “We were thinking that we would.”

“Really?” Rosalie nearly jumped from the table, “We were so hoping you would!”   
Cullen offered her a lopsided smile, “We think it will be good.”

“That’s wonderful, isn’t that wonderful Bran?” Mia said pointedly. 

Branson’s careful control and quiet distance seemed to snap all at once, “So wonderful. You know what else is  _ wonderful _ ? How he comes back and hasn’t seen us in twenty years and you pretending everything is fine.”

“Bran - “ Mia implored from the head of the table her voice filled with authority. 

Branson shook his head, “Don’t ‘Bran’ me like it’s my fault.”

“They’re our guests and you’re causing a scene,” Mia hissed. 

“Good, let them see. You’re always talking about honesty and not hiding things from each other. Well here we are, let’s not sweep this under the rug,” Branson’s voice rose in pitch. 

“Enough!” Mia ordered, “We are not discussing this now.”

He shoved back from the table, sending the glasses and dishes rattling, “I’m not going to be content sitting around playing happy family.” 

He stormed out of the house and everyone sat in stunned silence at the table after the outburst. 

“Someone should go after him,” Matthew broke the silence. 

Mia and Rosalie stared down at their plates and Cullen’s hand tightened on her leg. 

“I’ll go,” she offered. Nearly everyone at the table gaped at her. 

“That’s really not necessary,” Mia said, trying to restore some measure of order. She could see Mia was the one who ran the household, who stood as the head of the family. She didn’t want to challenge her, but something had to be done.  

Mara stood, “It’s really no problem. I’ll be back soon.” 

Cullen gave her a concerned look but Mara shook her head. She could do this, she hadn’t been able to really do anything since losing her arm. Besides, she felt that Branson was the only Rutherford acting remotely genuine with her around. Mia and Rosalie were nice, but they seemed to be walking on eggshells and wouldn’t refer to her by name. This was better. 

Branson was stalking off towards a cluster of trees a ways off. A very fluffy mabari walked along beside him. She wondered if she shouldn’t be out here, maybe he just needed some time. His back was still turned so she stepped much louder than necessary. The mabari looked up curiously, but Branson didn’t turn. 

“I’m not in the mood Mia,” he said with malice. 

“Not Mia,” she said quietly. Branson spun around surprised. 

“Oh,” his face reddened in embarrassment. 

She held up both hands, lowering her left when she remembered it was gone. She wondered if she would ever stop reaching for things or gesturing with the limb she no longer had. She pushed the thoughts away, “Not here to lecture you.”

He looked relieved, “Not in the mood for one.”

“This is a different sort of mabari than I’ve ever seen,” she said extending her hand for the animal to sniff at. 

Branson seemed caught off guard, “He’s a sheep mabari. His name is David.”

“Hello, David,” she said with a smile and crouched down. David moved forward excitedly adjusting his head so that her hand was behind his ear, she gave it a scratch and his tongue lolled out to the side. 

“A sheep mabari. That explains it. Not a lot of sheep farming where I’m from,” she looked up at Branson and smiled. 

“I...um...sorry about your arm. Mia shared Cullen’s letter that explained what happened,” Branson said, rubbing his neck. A nervous habit it seemed he and Cullen shared. 

She shrugged, “I’ve had some time with it. It’d be much better if everyone didn’t treat me as if I was made of porcelain.”

“Like my sister,” Branson suggested. 

“Yes,” Mara laughed, “She’s very formal.”

“Well you’re the Inquisitor and the Herald of Andraste, of course she is,” Branson chuckled. 

“I’m just a person. And you don’t really believe in all that do you?” Mara raised an eyebrow and stood. David immediately nudged her leg at the pause in the head rubs. She resumed them with a smile.  

“I don’t know. Mia is much more devout than I’ve ever seen reason to be,” Branson admitted. 

Mara shrugged, “I’m not even Andrastian.”

Branson laughed out loud, a deep hearty sound, “You know they talk about you and how you were Dalish, but they make you out to be very Andrastian.”

“I know,” she sighed, “It’s not that I don’t believe in the Maker. It’s that I don’t know what I believe in at all.”

“Not even Elven gods?”

“Sort of puts a damper on that belief when you’ve met a few,” she said darkly. 

“This got very serious very quickly,” Branson said, changing the subject. 

“Your voice. It sounds eerily like your brother,” Mara commented. 

Branson cocked his head thoughtfully, “I bet I can find a way to use that against my sisters.”

“That is if Mia ever speaks to you again after you walked out on her dinner,” Mara teased. 

Branson ran a hand down his face, “Yeah. She’s going to kill me.”

“I don’t have any siblings. But if you ask me, your anger is understandable. And as much as you yelling and storming out was the most excitement I’ve seen for a while, talking might be more productive,” Mara offered. 

Branson nodded, “I don’t know if I can pretend as well as my sisters that everything is fine.”

“Don’t,” Mara shook her head, “that won’t help anything.”

“Well Mara,” he stressed her name, he was the only Rutherford sibling to have used it so far, “shall we rejoin everyone?” He held out his arm and she took it as they walked back to the house. 

***

It was hours later when Mara and Cullen finally were undressing and climbing into bed. Cullen helped her through the more complicated bits of undressing and then he brushed her hair. It had become a bit of a nightly ritual. Tonight they’d kept it short as they were both tired. Cullen had just blown out the candle and curled up beside her. 

“So….how do you feel about having two weddings?” he asked hesitantly. 

“Cullen Stanton Rutherford, did you wait until the room was dark before asking me that?” Mara asked rolling to face him and giving him a shove. She hoped that he could at least hear the indignation in her voice even if he couldn’t see it in her face. 

“Yes,” he said without reservation. 

She stopped, “Mia asked you to do that, didn’t she?”

He sighed, “About five seconds after you left the table.”

“Well...I do still have the dress,” Mara said gently. 

Cullen stiffened a little next to her, “Is that a yes?”

“If it’s that important to her, then yes,” she replied. 

She knew that Cullen was smiling even in the darkness, “Maker, what did I do to deserve you?”

“You’ll owe me,” she teased. 

“Oh?” he pulled her body flush against his, one hand threading through her hair and turning her face up. He kissed her with some amount of urgency. It wasn’t soft, the clanking of teeth and the tangle of their tongues was rough. One of his hands slid down the length of her body, coming to rest on her hip. She gripped his shoulder tightly, trying to pull him closer and deepening the kiss. 

He rolled them both so that she was on her back. He rolled his hips and already hardening length against her. 

She broke away gasping, “Cullen, we are in your sister’s house!”

He kissed down the length of her neck, “We’ll be quiet.”

She laughed, “When have we ever been that quiet?”

One of his hands had slid underneath her shift at some point and he grasped one of her breasts in his hand, drawing a muffled moan out of her. He rolled the nipple between his fingers. Damn him. 

“Perhaps we just lacked,” he left hot, open mouth kisses in a trail to her ear, “proper motivation.”

“Your entire family hearing us, motivation?” she stammered as his tongue traced her earlobe and he ground himself into her again. 

She bit back a groan. How she wanted him, but they were in his sister’s house and she was exhausted. Her eyelids drooped closed more from exhaustion than from pleasure. 

“Perhaps I’m lacking the motivation this evening?” she whispered. 

Cullen stopped his ministrations immediately, pulled back to rest his forehead against hers, “We should get some rest.”

He kissed her once more, a chaste peck on her lips before he rolled to his side of the bed. His arm was already lifted to allow her to lay her head on his chest and she smiled a little at his anticipation for what she would want. He gave her a quick squeeze once she was all settled. 

“I love you,” he brushed his lips against her forehead. 

“I love you too,” she murmured and she fell asleep to the steady beat of his heart against her ear. 

  
  
  



End file.
